The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-23
Our Quarantine.
Tampa journal

The Times Democrat of the 10th inst,
has undertaken to arraign the health
authorities at Tampa for the method of
quarantine which they have adopted
In its zeal to protect the commerce of
New Orleans with Key West and Ha-
vana against its younger and more ia
vorably situated rival, it exhibits an ig
norance of the fact on which its attack
is based which is only equalled by the
proclamation of DIR. Holt to the Gov
ernor Of Florida, in which he charges
the authorities at Tampa with allowing
the Plant steamship line to bring certain
Arabs into the State after the establish
ment of quarantine, when these Arabs
We're actually brought to Tampa before
the establishment of quarantine. by the
Morgan steamship line, which was at
that time plying between Havana and
New Orleans, touching at Key West and
Tampa and is still on the same route.
The regulations under which commu-
nication with Havana was maintained
all last summer without danger to Flor
ida, were embodied in the quarantine
proclamation this year, which is there
fore not of an ''entirely novel charac-
ter" as stated by the Times Democrat.
These regulations are based upon the
are recognized by modern medical sci
ence as insuring the least possible danger
compatible with any intercourse what
ever with an infected port. They were
endorsed by such eminent medical au-
fhorities as DIR. Hamilton, Surgeon Gen
eral OF the United States Marine Hospi-
tai Service. DIR. Mitchell, President of
the Board of Health of Duval County
and DIR. Kenworthy. the City Physician
of Jacksonville. They were fully dis
cussed and approved by the Florida Med
ical Association at its annual meeting
last year. and if we are not mistaken,
DR.. Holt, of New Orleans, is also ON
record as an authority in their favor.
BY adopting a system which has met
with snch eminent.approval, and which
stood the test of last seasons experience
satisfactorily, it would seem that the
health authorities mt Tampa had done all
that could be reasonably expected of
them to protect their own community
and those AL jacent to them against in
lection from Havana.
The assertion that the quarantine ordi
nance lis especially intended to
favor the Plant Company" is I'M
true. il applies to all vessels ira
ding at this port. The complaint
of the Times Democrat that it acts as an
embargo against the Morgan Line, now
trading between these infected ports and
New Orleans. is based upon the state
ment that it was impossible for that line
to comply with these regulations with
out losing too much time This is a
matter for the Morgan steamship line to
determine for themselves. The health
authorities of Tampa have nothing to do
with it.
The Times Democrat intimates that
DIR. Burgess, the United States Sanitary
Inspector in Havana, does not do his
duty rs required under these regula-
tions. We understand that he is not re-
quired by the Morgan Line to comply
with them So far as their trade with
New Orleans is concerned. and when the
health authorities of Tampa have reason
tai believe shat they are required to do
So by the Plant steamship line. they will
hold both DIR. Burgess and the owners of
that line to strict responsibility for such
violation of their regulations.
The truth of the matter is that New
Orleans finds it advantageous to keep up
communication with Havana. 1t is
afraid that a quarantine such as other
cities enforce against that port will in
ferfefe with the business of its line and
it therefore resorts to these subterfuges.
If the Times Democrat takes excep-
tons To this assertion, we can only reply
own attack on Tampa. only substituting
New Orleans" for Tampa" We deny
that the course pursued by our health
authorities is endangering the safety of
the whole Gulf COST.
Ii We were dispoSed to excite alarm at
the course pursued by the health author
tiles ut New Orleans we could publish a
which recently appeared
IN Key West newspaper. over the zig
nature of their board of health, which
commended the mobile and magnani-
nous conduct of DIR. Holt and the Nor
gan line in allowing citizens of Florida"
fo escape from Key West to their homes
I'm New Orleans and denouncing Tampa
for preventing them doing so.
We can assure the Times Democrat
that the health authorities of Tampa are
quite as much interested in protecting
the health of their own community and
Of those adjacent to it, as that Jealous
advocate of the commercial interests of
New Orleans can possibly he, and that
when they have reason to believe that
the system of maritime sanitation which
they have incorporated in their uuaran-
tine regulations. fails to give that meas
ure of safety which the most eminent
medical authorities have asserted is the
greatest, short of absolute non-inter-
they will not hesitate to apply
that last and final measure, even if it
does seal up their port and leave the
Crescent City and the Times Democrat
without rival for the commerce whose